Finger tip massaging instrument



y 7, 1953 E. F. VINIEGRA 2,644,446

FINGER TIP MASSAGING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 4, 1951 T 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR 70' Ewes/o fZwo I///'7/'e ra ATTORNEY July 7, 1953 E. F. VINIEGRA FINGER TIP MASSAG ING INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, .1951

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 19 53 E T OFFICE FINGER TIP 'MASSAGING INSTRUMENT Ernesto Fano Viniegra, Mexico City, Mexico ApplicationJanuary l, 1ss1'ifseriai No. 204,300

7 Claims. (c1. 128-41) This invention relatesgenerally to massaging 3 circulatory responding bottom half i4 and the two side plates -slightly fromthe bottom by having the center part bulged upwardly slightly, but this is not an essential difference as it may be made as an uninterrupted arc-like the bottom.

The two endedges 12a and 14a of the halves V abut; and are'held. in proper relation by the a need of improvingthe circulation and sen sibility in the extremities. The present invention-is designed to be of particular value to pianists, massagists or others who might suffer manual iatiguegby improving the circulation in the roots of thefinger nails to thereby better the condition'of the same.

Another and more specific object of the inven tion is to provide asmall, compact instrument by means of which a vibratory massaging action may be produced directly upon the'nails of the fingers for the purpose stated. J

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompany 'ing drawings forming "a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact de= tails of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art;

In the drawings:

"Figure 1. is a view in perspective of the instrument constructed inaccordance with the present invention. K

Figure 2 isa vertical transverse section taken substantially on theline 2-2 of Figure 5.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of one side of the deviceshown in Figure 1. H

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken substantiallyi on the line 4+4 of Figure 5.

-.- 1"F e 5.21s. cvie l n.dece r of etw halves of the casing structure separated and with theside platesremoved and showing in side elevation the mechanism which is attached to the top half of the casing. I

1 Figure 6 is a top edge view of one side plate showing the receiving thimbles for thumb and fingers.

Referring now more particularly to thedrawtongues lswhich extend up from the inner sides of the edges I40; to engage the inside of the top; At one end of the casing each half thereof is molded to provide an outwardly projecting half 29 or" an electric current conductor plug socket 22.

Each half 29 of the socket has'a transverse slot 24 to receive, in the assembled casing, a part of a division plate 26 of insulation material carrying'the electrodes 28, with the outer ends of which a current conductor may be connected.

Alongeach longitudinal edge of each of the halves i2 and it are formed, upon the inner wall thereof, the lugs 30 having threadedbores 3!, for the purpose about to be set forth.

When the two halves I2 and I4 of the casing are fitted together each of the sides of the easings the-reference numeral It! generally des- -j ignates-the instrument casing. This comprises four major parts which are the relatively long, wide lon'gitudinally'arcuate top half 12, the coring is closed by a side plate 16 and each plate has apertures through which are passed securing screws 33, which enter the bores 3| of the lugs 30.

The lower part'of each side plate is has an arcuate row of four apertures 34 each of which is adapted to receive a finger of one hand, and above the row of apertures 34, is a single aperture 35a for the reception of the thumb. v

Upon the undersideor" the top half 12 of the casing is fixed the depending web or bridge 36, to which is secured for suspension in the casing, by the screws 37, an electric vibrator motor which is generally designated V, and which comprises the coil 38 having the twoterminals 39, and the metal laminations or plates 40.

The plates 49 are held, at one side of the motor, between the spaced flanges 4| forming an integral part of a spring 42, to which is secured one end .of an armature 43 which is disposed lengthwise beneath the coil and plates as the coil terminals 39 as shown in Figure 4.

Enclosing the lower part of the vibrator motor is a' substantially U-shaped frame, generally designated F, formed of resilient material of band The top half as here illustrated differs 3 or strap form and having the spaced parallel, long side arms 46 and the transverse end bar 4? connecting the arms as shown in Figure 4.

The bar 41 has the inset portion 46a which is positioned against the terminus 43a of the armature and secured thereto by screws 41a.

The lower edge of each arm has four depending portions 48, from each of which there extend-s outwardly, or toward the adjacent side plate 3?, a tongue49.

From the top edge of each arm there extends upwardly, at a position substantially midway between the two innermost portions 48, an upwardly extending portion 50, from the top of which extends a tongue 51.

Each of the tongues 49 and 5! has applied thereover a cap or cot 52 from one side of which project a number of slender, resilient massaging points or tips 53. tongues 38 are directed toward the top of the casing while the points 53 upon the tongue 51 are directed downwardly. 7

Covering each of the openings 34 and 35, and secured to the inside of each side plate I8, is a thimble 54 to receive the tip of a finger, or thumb, inserted into the opening which the thimble covers.

Each of the thimbles covering a finger opening,

has in its under side, a window Ma, opening downward while the thimble covering the thumb opening 35 has a window 54b in its top side, open= ing upwardly.

Asshownin Figure 4, the tongues 4t and Si and the adjacent thimbles 5d are so designed and positioned, that when the instrument is as- .sembled the group of massaging points of a cot will bedisposed opposite to a window of a thimble so that a finger inserted into the thimble will have its nail lightly contacted by the points.

When the vibrator motor is energized, vibratory motion will be imparted to the resilient frame F and to the tongues 49 and 5! and this will be transferredto the nails of the fingers in the thimbles by the vibrating points or tips 53.

Due to the novel manner in which the finger and thumb openings are arranged in the oppositeside wall plates it, it willbe seen that the instrument may be conveniently held between the hands and the fingers and thumb thereof maintained without effort in position within the instrument to have the nails gently massaged.

By the means set forth it will be seen that a gentle stimulation may be produced which will be of material benefit in improving circulation whereby to overcome fatigue and'other conditions.

I claim:

1. An instrument for massaging the finger tips comprising a casing having a side wall, said side wall having openings therein for the reception of the tips of the fingers and thumb of a hand, an electric vibrator motor within the casing, means for conducting electric current to the motor from outside the casing, and movably supported mas-v saging elements connected with and vibrated by the motor andpositioned relative to the side wall The points 53 upon the four.

4 openings for contact with the fingers and thumb in the openings.

2. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein a second side wall is provided with openings for receiving the fingers and thumb of another hand, a second group of massaging elements, the second group of elements being adjacent to the openings of the said second side wall, and all of said massaging elements being connected to the motor by a common means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, with a thimble element covering each of said openings upon the inside of said wall, each thimble having a window opening toward which a massaging element is directed.

4. A fingertip massaging instrument comprising a casing having two opposite side walls, each of said walls having an arcuate row of four finger receiving openings in the lower part thereof and a thumb receiving opening in the top part, an electric vibrator motor within the casing, means for conducting electric current thereto, an element supported adjacent to the motor to be given vibratory movement thereby, and a finger tip contacting and massaging element positioned adjacent to each opening in each wall and supported by the first named element to be moved thereby.

5. A massaging instrument as set forth in claim 4, with a finger tip receiving thimble covering each opening upon the inside of each side wall, each of said thimbles having a window opening therein through which the nail of an inserted finger tip is exposed toward and to be engaged by an adjacent massaging element.

8. A massaging instrument as set forth in claim 4, wherein the said element which is given vibratory movement by the motor comprises an elongated substantially U-shaped frame having two long side arms between which the motor is positioned and a transverse end barcoupled to a vibrating part of the motor, each of said arms carrying five tongues directed toward the adjacent side wall, and each of said tongues carrying one'of said massaging elements. 7

7. A massaging instrument as set forth in claim 4, wherein the said element which is given vibratory movement by the motor comprises an elongated substantially U-shaped frame having two long side arms between which the motor is positioned and a transverse end bar coupled to a vibrating part of the motor, each of said arms carrying five tongues directed toward the adjacent side wall, and each of said massaging elements comprising a cap engaged over a tongue, and a plurality of resilient points carried by the cap for contact with a finger.

ERNESTO FANO VINIEGRA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

